Read Online The Owl Keeper by Christine Brodien-Jones - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Christine Brodien-Jones
Tags: Fiction, General, All Ages, Children's Books, Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Family, Juvenile Fiction, Action & Adventure - General, Magic, Fantasy & Magic, Ages 9-12 Fiction, Nature & the Natural World, Social Issues, Animals, Human-animal relationships, Children: Grades 4-6, Friendship, Nature, Body; Mind & Spirit, Family - General, Social Issues - Friendship, Magick Studies, Prophecies, Owls, Birds, Environment, Nature & the Natural World - Environment
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suspicious."
"That's not true!" cried Max, exasperated with her outlandish accusations. "My parents work there and it's a top-quality chocolate factory!" Feeling anxious, he reached for his owl. When she folded up her wings, she was small enough to hold in his hands. Pressing her to his chest, he leaned over and kissed the top of her head. She was so beautiful.
Swinging her stick, Rose clumped off into the high grass. "You are so out of touch, Max Unger!" she yelled. "I hope you know the High Echelon plans to raze the forests and bulldoze the riverbanks. They'll mow down the fields and dredge the rivers and marshes! They'll shut down the towns and concrete everything over! You won't recognize this place anymore!" She spun in circles, knocking the tops off the cattails. "Then they'll build their ridiculous domes and take control of everyone's minds."
Max paled. He set the owl on a branch. It was disturbing, that word raze; it sounded extreme. He pulled down his earflaps. It made him nervous, hearing about mind control and bulldozing. Why did Rose make everything sound so radical?
"They can't knock down every single tree!" he shouted back. "My owl won't have anywhere to live!"
Rose whirled around, brandishing her stick. "Max, wake up,
69
the High Echelon doesn't care about some mangy bird!" She stomped over to him. Her eyes were so fiery, he imagined sparks flying out of them. "They want all the silver owls dead!"
Max looked at his owl, sitting perfectly still on the branch. Beneath the sparkling feathers, her golden eyes darkened. He reached over to comfort her, gently stroking her throat.
"Stop saying that, will you?" He felt his stomach coil into knots.
"My dad told me the real story." Rose leaned toward him. Her breath had a tart, fruity smell--like apples. "The government made up all that stuff about the silver owls being wiped out in the Great Destruction. The Destruction didn't kill them off--the High Echelon did! It issued a secret edict and hunted them down and killed every one! Maybe a few silver owls got away, but they won't survive, because the government's going after them!"
Max felt a cold dread slice through him, sharp as a knife blade. He could tell that for once Rose wasn't making things up. But what did these actions by the High Echelon mean? Sages hunted down, silver owls murdered. Hearing about these things chilled him to the core. Was this what Gran had meant by Absolute Dark?
Feeling overheated, he unwound his scarf and pulled off his cap, pushing his limp brown hair off his neck. His scalp felt prickly, the way it often did when he was agitated.
"Hey, Max, can I see that tattoo on your neck?" asked Rose. "What kind did they give you?"
"Nobody gave me a tattoo," said Max irritably. "It's a birthmark." He jammed his cap back on before she could get a better look. Secretly, though, he felt special having it. Mrs. Crumlin called it a sun mark and said it made up for all those weak genes he had.
70
Before he knew what was happening, Rose leapt up, snatching his cap. "Give that hat back to me!" he yelled. "I'll get an ear infection! Give it back or you'll be sorry!"
She danced around, waving the cap. "Show me your tattoo and you can have it."
Max threw her a toxic look. He hated being teased. On the playground, years ago, he remembered kids pushing him down and calling him "shrimp." They had all been bigger than him and ten times tougher.
Rose stuck the cap on the end of her stick and twirled it around.
"You are so annoying," said Max. Knowing she was too quick for him to catch, he sat cross-legged on the ground. "Okay, I give up. But be quick, okay?" He leaned forward. "My head's getting chilled."
Rose knelt beside him and examined his neck closely, her expression changing from curious to confused as she traced the mark's outline with a bony finger. "Your tattoo's shaped like the sun! That's the High Echelon's official logo, you see it on everything. Guess they have something really special
"That's not true!" cried Max, exasperated with her outlandish accusations. "My parents work there and it's a top-quality chocolate factory!" Feeling anxious, he reached for his owl. When she folded up her wings, she was small enough to hold in his hands. Pressing her to his chest, he leaned over and kissed the top of her head. She was so beautiful.
Swinging her stick, Rose clumped off into the high grass. "You are so out of touch, Max Unger!" she yelled. "I hope you know the High Echelon plans to raze the forests and bulldoze the riverbanks. They'll mow down the fields and dredge the rivers and marshes! They'll shut down the towns and concrete everything over! You won't recognize this place anymore!" She spun in circles, knocking the tops off the cattails. "Then they'll build their ridiculous domes and take control of everyone's minds."
Max paled. He set the owl on a branch. It was disturbing, that word raze; it sounded extreme. He pulled down his earflaps. It made him nervous, hearing about mind control and bulldozing. Why did Rose make everything sound so radical?
"They can't knock down every single tree!" he shouted back. "My owl won't have anywhere to live!"
Rose whirled around, brandishing her stick. "Max, wake up,
69
the High Echelon doesn't care about some mangy bird!" She stomped over to him. Her eyes were so fiery, he imagined sparks flying out of them. "They want all the silver owls dead!"
Max looked at his owl, sitting perfectly still on the branch. Beneath the sparkling feathers, her golden eyes darkened. He reached over to comfort her, gently stroking her throat.
"Stop saying that, will you?" He felt his stomach coil into knots.
"My dad told me the real story." Rose leaned toward him. Her breath had a tart, fruity smell--like apples. "The government made up all that stuff about the silver owls being wiped out in the Great Destruction. The Destruction didn't kill them off--the High Echelon did! It issued a secret edict and hunted them down and killed every one! Maybe a few silver owls got away, but they won't survive, because the government's going after them!"
Max felt a cold dread slice through him, sharp as a knife blade. He could tell that for once Rose wasn't making things up. But what did these actions by the High Echelon mean? Sages hunted down, silver owls murdered. Hearing about these things chilled him to the core. Was this what Gran had meant by Absolute Dark?
Feeling overheated, he unwound his scarf and pulled off his cap, pushing his limp brown hair off his neck. His scalp felt prickly, the way it often did when he was agitated.
"Hey, Max, can I see that tattoo on your neck?" asked Rose. "What kind did they give you?"
"Nobody gave me a tattoo," said Max irritably. "It's a birthmark." He jammed his cap back on before she could get a better look. Secretly, though, he felt special having it. Mrs. Crumlin called it a sun mark and said it made up for all those weak genes he had.
70
Before he knew what was happening, Rose leapt up, snatching his cap. "Give that hat back to me!" he yelled. "I'll get an ear infection! Give it back or you'll be sorry!"
She danced around, waving the cap. "Show me your tattoo and you can have it."
Max threw her a toxic look. He hated being teased. On the playground, years ago, he remembered kids pushing him down and calling him "shrimp." They had all been bigger than him and ten times tougher.
Rose stuck the cap on the end of her stick and twirled it around.
"You are so annoying," said Max. Knowing she was too quick for him to catch, he sat cross-legged on the ground. "Okay, I give up. But be quick, okay?" He leaned forward. "My head's getting chilled."
Rose knelt beside him and examined his neck closely, her expression changing from curious to confused as she traced the mark's outline with a bony finger. "Your tattoo's shaped like the sun! That's the High Echelon's official logo, you see it on everything. Guess they have something really special
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